Greenville Magazine Spring 2020

Greenville LIFE in the EAST

SPRING 2020

TEN LOCAL EXPERTS OFFER 10 IDEAS FOR A BETTER MIND AND BODY IN THE NEW YEAR!

INSIDE:

BOB GARNER • TEN FOR 20 • SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE • WORKING OUT • DASH

contents Publisher Robin L. Quillon Editor Bobby Burns Contributing writers Bob Garner, Jonathan Forney, Elizabeth Johnson, Kathy Kolasa, & Tyler Stocks Photographers Morgan Murray Regional Advertising Director Craig Springer

Advertising representatives Tom Little, Christina Ruotolo, Genevia Hill, Ken Rhodes & Rubie Smith Creative services director Jessica Harris Creative services Brandi Callahan, Lora Jernigan, & Dawn Newton Layout design Jasmine Blount Greenville: Life in the East is a publication of The Daily Reflector and Adams Publishing Group ENC. Contents may not be reproduced without the consent of the publisher.

5 8 14 20 27

BOB GARNER

TEN FOR 20

SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE

WORKING OUT

DASH

FROM THE EDITOR Leonard da Vinci is one of the best

in the new year to improve their lives. Ten

known artists and thinkers to emerge out

experts each offered 10 pieces of advice

of the Renaissance. Many would say he

in fields varying from health and fitness to

is the epitome of the Renaissance man,

safety and thinking outside the box.

whose interest included invention, draw-

The Ten for 20 package anchors the is-

ing, painting, sculpture, architecture, sci-

sue, but there is more to get you thinking.

ence, music, mathematics, literature, anat-

Food writer Bob Garner tackles the grow-

omy, astronomy, botany, paleontology and

ing popularity of the meatless diet; nutri-

cartography, to name a few.

tion expert Kathy Kolasa writes about the

His famous drawing, the Vitruvian Man,

virtues of the DASH diet; writer Elizabeth

featured on the cover, is a study of the

Johnson, a recent ECU graduate, visits local

proportions of the human body. Over the

health clubs; and Tyler Stocks, a staff writ-

centuries it has become an iconic repre-

er with The Daily Reflector, visited the ECU

sentation of man’s body and mind. In this

School of Dental Medicine to learn how it

issue of Greenville Magazine, we couple

helps people with healthy smiles.

those themes with the start of a new year, and a new decade.

We hope you enjoy reading and find some advice that helps you make your

Jonathan Forney, a writer who recent-

2020 a great year and maybe even keep

ly moved to the Greenville area, tracked

you smiling through the next decade. Best

down a some local Renaissance people to

wishes.

discuss how readers might make changes

— Bobby Burns

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Spring 2020

Bob Garner: A

sandwich called the “Impossible Whopper” now on sale at Burger King helped accomplish something that might previously have seemed impossible to a confirmed carnivore like me. It got me thinking about the increasing number of people who are trying to replace some of their meat with plant-based foods.

My thoughts drifted in this direction because the Impossible Whopper has identical ingredients to those found in the original Whopper except that its “meat” patty is a textured vegetable burger. Hardee’s also is introducing a plant-based, “Beyond Meat” burger and a non-meat sausage patty for breakfast biscuits, and it’s probably only a matter of time until we hear about roll outs of similar products at McDonald’s.

Considering my widespread association with meat, particularly barbecued pork, I liked the idea of accepting a story assignment on the increasing popularity of vegan and vegetarian diets and their less dogmatic offshoots. In particular, I wanted to learn more about “flexitarian” approaches in which individuals boost their consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, even if they choose not to give up meat and other animal foods entirely.

Based on my general reading, it seems to me that the trend toward some form of plant-forward diet is bound to continue increasing significantly for reasons of ethics, ecology and agricultural economics, to say nothing of disease prevention and increased longevity.

Spring 2020

Meeting the meatless diet and learning the benefits are good

By Bob Garner

Associated Press

The new Impossible Burger from Burger King features meatless patties, but the dish does not qualify as vegetarian or vegan.

I arranged to get together with Dr. Michael Wheeler, chairman of the East Carolina University Nutrition Science Department, who confirmed my supposition.

“There’s pretty good evidence that we eat too much meat,” he told me. “The negative health impacts of a lot of red meat — colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, increased risk of diabetes and more — are there. If you can reduce some of those, nearly everyone would agree that’s a better approach.”

The “better approach” Wheeler describes doesn’t necessarily mean forgoing all animal foods. For some, Greenville: Life In The East

embarking on a plant-based diet does exclude all animal products, which makes it a vegan diet. For others, becoming a classic vegetarian means deciding to eat plant-based foods plus eggs and dairy products, but no meat, poultry, fish or seafood. Still another group will simply choose more of their foods from plant rather than animal sources, putting themselves more or less under the “flexitarian” banner.

The point is, we can all try to make plants a more important part of our diet and reap real rewards — without necessarily going so far as to completely cut out meat, poultry, fish, other seafood,

5

A dish of king oyster mushroom scallops on a bed of wild mushroom risotto with roasted Brussels sprouts, prepared by Beverly Hilton Executive Chef Matthew Morgan. was among meatless dishes served recently at the Golden Globe Awards.

A chilled golden beet soup was among meatless dishes served recently at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday.

dairy and eggs; we can simply choose to eat less of any or all of these foods.

ECU’s Wheeler promptly reminded me that most of us don’t eat the amounts of fruits and veggies that nutritionists recommend. “Sure, you’ll see some benefit from reducing your meat intake, while also cutting saturated fat and calories, but the gain goes beyond just what you’re cutting from your diet,” he observed. “Fruits, vegetables, peas and beans, whole grains and healthy fats that you add are really important too. You’re increasing healthy vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber, and those are nutrients most of us don’t get nearly enough of, fiber in particular.”

For a great many people, weight loss seems to lead the list of benefits to be derived from a more plant-forward eating style. Aside from improved appearance and self-confidence, reducing weight can help with several other medical challenges. Research shows that those following a largely plant-based diet have lower average body mass indexes (BMI) compared to those who eat significant

6

amounts of meat. Those who use vegetarian or semi-vegetarian diets to lose weight are reportedly more successful not only in getting the weight off but in keeping it off. In general, choosing vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains over meats can apparently lead to a fuller feeling on fewer calories.

Regardless of BMI, says Wheeler, cutting down on animal products in the diet and eating more plant-based foods lowers the risk of diabetes. One study indicated that meat eaters have a risk of developing diabetes that’s twice that of those who follow vegetarian or vegan diets. Another recent study shows higher insulin sensitivity — important for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels — among those who follow a plant-based diet.

Wheeler points out that reducing meat consumption and eating more plant-based foods may significantly lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Other risk factors for heart disease are often decreased as blood pressure and cholesterol are lowered and blood sugar control is Greenville: Life In The East

improved through plant-forward eating plans. Concerning blood pressure alone, statistics show that 1 in 3 American adults suffer from hypertention, putting them at a considerably higher risk of stroke and heart disease.

Research studies referenced by Wheeler during our conversation show that eating lots of vegetables, fruits legumes and whole grains is associated with a lower risk of developing cancer because of disease-fighting phytochemicals in plant foods. Other studies validate his assertion that eating red meat is widely associated with increased risk of cancer, especially colon cancer.

A couple of blogs to which Wheeler pointed me contain the following useful tips for getting started with a more plant-based diet.

Fill at least half your plate with vegetables at lunch and dinner. Make sure you include as many colors as possible in choosing your vegetables, or as some put it, “eat the rainbow.” But make sure you include a variety of green, leafy vegeta-

Spring 2020

bles such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, turnip greens or (non-meat-seasoned) collard greens To help change the way you think about meat, prepare smaller amounts of it. Think of meat as a side dish or even a garnish, rather than as the meal’s centerpiece.

Choose healthy fats. Unsaturated fats – monounsaturated and polyunsaturated – are the ones that are best for your heart. Plants provide nearly all of the good food choices for these fats, with olives and olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds being especially healthy choices.

Aim to include plant sources of mega-3 fatty acids, such as flaxseeds, sunflower seeds and chia seeds.

Focus on vegetables and whole grains for breakfast. Make a spinach omelet or add vegetables and/or beans to a breakfast burrito containing scrambled eggs.

Or start with oatmeal and add some nuts or seeds, along with fresh fruit.

Prepare a vegetarian dinner at least one night a week. To start, build these

meals around beans, whole grains and starchy vegetables so that you’ll feel satisfied and get sufficient calories.

Eat fruit for dessert occasionally. Berries, oranges, crisp apples and even canned fruits in juice (rather than sugar syrup) are good choices.

Wheeler and I laughed about the plant-based burgers and breakfast sausage patties that seem likely to become common at fast food restaurants — and which started my reflecting on changing eating habits in the U.S. and around the world.

“Right now, there are practically no differences in calories or fat content between meat and plant-based fillings for these sandwiches and biscuits,” he pointed out. “They aren’t really vegetarian since they’re often broiled or grilled together with real meat patties, they often aren’t vegan because of being served with toppings like mayonnaise and they’re likely to have higher levels of sodium.”

“But here we are talking about them at

the same time we’re talking about more serious and significant changes in diet,” he continued. “I think right now, they’re being marketed in a nod to pop culture and because the words ‘plant-based’ can be attached … but they’re an interesting sign of larger changes yet to come. And if a profit can be made in the meantime, well, so be it.”

Bob Garner is a freelance food writer who has also authored several books on barbecue and hosted hundreds of TV restaurant reviews prominently featuring red meat and poultry.

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Spring 2020

Greenville: Life In The East

20 newly constructed units now available 7

MINDING MENTAL HEALTH

By Jonathan Forney

The New Year offers a new beginning for all of us. Greenville Magazine asked 10 local experts to offer 10 ways we can change our lives.

Dr. Ashley J. Britton is clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Brody School. She works as a consult and liaison with the psychiatry team in residence to help people dealing with mental illnesses and negative behaviors. Her advice for better mental health in the New Year includes: 1. If a psychiatrist has been recommended to you, it doesn’t mean something is wrong: • They’re looking to help improve your quality of life by providing additional resources and support. Psychiatrists are here to help people dealing things ranging from substance abuse to mental health disorders.

2. Figure out what the source of distress disfunction and how can to reduce it: • Depending on what it is, pursuing activities outside of what is causing the tension or stress in your life can help. For instance, if work-related issues are stressing someone out, finding an outlet that isn’t related to work.

3. Be intentional about how you’re using your time: • “When you’re noticing most of your time, energy and resources — finances or otherwise — are spent dealing, managing or seeking out whatever that problem is, it’s time to start evaluating.”

4. Try to take into account just how much of your time and resources go into specific behaviors or dealing with the resulting problems.

5. Check in on your loved ones, especially the ones to whom everyone vents: • Often the people who are presented with other people’s problems don’t have an outlet of their own. Letting people know you’re thinking of them and are available can go a long way.

6. Try to be more open when getting help:

• “Remind yourself: you’re here [seeking psychiatric assistance] to get help.

So let us help you and we can’t do that if we don’t know what’s going on.”

7. Being vulnerable is different from being open: • Openness can be setting a line for how much of yourself you share with others. Being vulnerable is letting people in. When seeking psychiatric help, it’s important to allow yourself to be both open and vulnerable.

8. Take a step back and look at your habits and dependencies: • People usually don’t catch these things before it’s a big problem they can’t avoid anymore. Taking a step back can help frame things in a better perspective.

9. Try to be more understanding when others acknowledge their struggles: • Reminding people they have support systems they can rely on helps keep people from going through their issues alone.

10. Understand it’s OK not to be OK: • Be honest about your well-being and the well-being of others. “You can do those things [such as pray], but after a certain point, there has to be more that we can offer each other besides just prayer.” If you find a solution you’ve tried isn’t leading to the results you hoped, it may be time to try a different solution.

FIGHTING ADDICTION Dr. William Leigh Atherton is assistant professor in the Department of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies at ECU, coordinator of certificate substance abuse counseling and director of MS clinical counseling.

He also does research into suicide awareness and prevention along with mental health and substance abuse disorders.

Here is his advise to people trying to change and those who are trying to help them: 1. Be open to treatment:

• Understand that there are more ways to get help other than 12 step programs and similar group-based approaches.

2. Try to be empathetic: • Attempt to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. It may not be as easy for them when presented with different circumstances, particularly those dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues.

3. Be mindful that substance-use and mental health issues aren’t choices 4. Communicate more often: Be willing to listen 5. Ask, don’t assume how people are handling things.

• “Get out of your own head and get into their world. The best way to do that is to simply ask.”

6. Mutual help groups can be a useful resource: • For those questioning if they should seek professional help, these peer-based groups can bring them around like-minded people and help them get in touch with professional help 7. Before you Google, check with your insurance: • It saves a lot of time when you see what options are available for those who have health insurance. Managed care organizations are available for those without insurance or on Medicaid 8. When setting goals, have a plan in mind, not just a start date: • Working toward an end point can be good for people compared to saying, “On this day, I’ll stop doing this.” This is especially true for trying to get a handle on more negative habits 9. Set intermediate and short-term goals rather than going home-runs: • “Allow yourself to see the smaller successes instead of committing to all or nothing and getting discouraged.”

10. Integrate some sort of reinforcement and accountability to your goal tracking: • This can come in the form of goal tracking through apps or services to give people a record of their progress. It can be as simple as writing things down.

Spring 2020

CHANGING YOUR DIET Julia Johnstone is a dietitian at the Healthier Lives at School and Beyond Schoolbased telemedicine program at ECU. She works to provide nutrition counseling to school children in Duplin County. She also contributes to a newsletter, Discover Wellness, for Duplin County Public School employees, full of tips for mind, body and overall wellness. Here is her advise for changing your diet: 1. Find out your “why” and what your motivating factors are to make a change: Evaluate why you want to make a particular lifestyle change and how these reasons motivate you to follow through with it.

2. Be cautious of wellness information found online: • In the age of influencers and social media, it can be easy to give advice even if it doesn’t come from licensed professionals.

3. Make cooking a family experience: • Taking children to the grocery store with you can help give them a better idea of what they’re eating and how it’s made.

Letting kids help at different stages of the cooking process can help improve their relationship with food too. They can learn useful kitchen skills as they age.

Try to have sit-down family meals when possible.

4: When you have to eat out, have a plan: • Be familiar with nearby options and their menus. Put yourself in a position to make dietary decisions that more closely align with your goals.

5: Smaller changes are more sustainable: • Substituting certain items for healthier ones or adjusting portion sizes can lead to a trickle effect when making future food choices. They’re also easier to keep up than more drastic changes.

6: Set SMART goals: Greenville: Life In The East

• SMART is an acronym meaning specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-based Re-evaluate your goals as you go on to see what you’re able to fit into your life 7. Instead of going along with trends, focus on sustainable, lifestyle changes: • Fad diets and overnight success stories are often unreliable for most people.

Try for changes you can stick with.

8. Fill your plate with colorful, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables rather than basing it around protein.

9. Avoid skipping meals: • This can lead to overindulging later to compensate. It’s better to eat at regular intervals.

10. Be aware of overeating: • Try to eat slower and savor your food.

If possible, wait 10 minutes or so before going back for more food.

LOSING WEIGHT Savanna Cummings is dietitian and manager of the Nutrition and Weight Loss Nutrition Clinic for Vidant. She helps teach people how to make healthier eating decisions and lose weight through group classes and nutrition education.

Here is her advice for weight loss: 1. Look inward at what you want: • Be honest with yourself about what goals you want to set.

2. Look outward at what you can change: • Take stock of what you can realistically add into your life.

3. Small changes can lead to big results: • Portion control, for example, is a good way to slowly change your food decisions in a more sustainable way.

4. Removing liquid calories can help reduce caloric intake: • Try not to get your calories from sugary drinks, they can increase blood sugar and appetite.

5. Drink more water:

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If possible, aim for the recommended eight glasses of water per day.

6. Give yourself time for weight loss: • At least a year for significant weight loss. Quick fixes are not realistic or necessarily safe for people.

7. Eat less food from boxes: • Food from boxes are often highly processed with preservatives or high sodium. Cutting them out is a good way to start toward healthier eating day-to-day.

8. Healthy eating isn’t just for weight loss: • Getting more recommended nutrients from your diet is a great way to improve your daily mood and sleep.

9. Get more sleep and set a routine: • A lack of sleep reduces energy and can lead to poor diet choices such as caffeinated drinks to wake you up for your day. Taking the time to get adequate sleep can help put people in better positions to make healthier eating choices.

Getting into a sleep routine, that you repeat every day, helps build better sleep into someone’s long-term lifestyle.

10. Accountability is key: • This can come in the form of trackers or other ways to see trends in your diet over time. Using resources or other people to help keep you on track can go a long way.

EXERCISING MORE Bronson Cline teaches group exercise classes, oversees personal training for clients at Vidant’s facilities and holds exercise evaluations/ consultations. Here is his advise for increasing physical activity: 1. You can’t outrun your fork: • All the exercise in the world won’t make up for a poor diet.

2. Exercise can help you break habits: • By adding a positive habit, you can take up the space of a negative one such as smoking.

3. Find an accountability partner:

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• They could be a friend, family member or someone else who either exercises with you or checks in periodically to make sure you’re doing what you said you’d do. You can hold each other accountable.

4. People can benefit by adding strength training: • Muscles burn calories; the stronger they are, the more calories they take. It isn’t just for people trying to put on size.

5. Treat exercise like a priority: • You can’t treat exercise like an option if you want to make it a part of your routine. “Make it so important that you miss it.”

6. Start small: • The first steps toward a more active lifestyle can be anything such as taking a walk. These activities, add up over the course of days, weeks and months.

7. Try to fit in bits of activity every day: • Americans are recommended 150 minutes of moderate activity per week; split that up daily and it’s 21 minutes, a less daunting number. If that’s not an option, start with less than 21, as long as you’re consistent.

8. Exercise is much more than its physical aspects: • There are numerous emotional and psychological effects associated with consistent exercise such as managing stress. “Exercise is the glue that holds other aspects of your life together.”

9. Set realistic, specific goals: • When it comes to weight loss or building muscle, don’t expect instant results.

Understand that major changes take dedication and time. Allow yourself that.

10. Give yourself time: • Lifestyle changes like weight loss or adding regular exercise takes time. Don’t expect instant gratification. Try to enjoy the process of gradual improvement and personal growth.

EXPANDING HORIZONS Joy Moses-Hall teaches physics, asGreenville: Life In The East

tronomy and earth science for Pitt Community College and writes a monthly science column for The Daily Reflector.

Here is her advice for getting out of your rut: 1. Look at multiple sources to stimulate your curiosity: • Especially websites ending in .org, .edu, .gov, as well as newspapers, journals and textbooks 2. Consider starting small: • You don’t need to become a full-fledged expert in your new interest. If you just want to learn about a single star in the sky or one historical figure, that’s perfectly fine.

For example: want to learn a language?

Try bits of vocab or flashcards when you have a free moment 3. Take a course on something you’re interested in: • Consider online courses or local community colleges.

4. Ask a librarian for more information on a subject you want to learn more about.

5. Substitute an hour of screen time to look into your new interest: • The time spent mindlessly scrolling could be better spent learning something new or practicing a new hobby.

6. Add content related to your new interests into your daily routine.

• “Take advantage of waiting in line or in a waiting room to focus or practice on your new interest. If you are trying a new sport, for example, exercise one relevant muscle during wait times, or if you are learning a foreign language or studying the Bible, practice a word-of-the-day or scripture-of-the-day during these focus moments, or do a search on your phone to read/watch more about your new interest.”

7. Discuss what you’ve learned or are learning about with those close to you: • Friends, coworkers and so on. Maybe you’ll interest them, too, or they know something you didn’t.

8. Try to find overlap with your new interest and your daily life: • This can help lessen the burden of Spring 2020

trying to balance both if time is an issue.

9. Plan an outing to explore your interest during a vacation or day off: • “Such as a planetarium, national forest, or ball game for the above examples. Drag your family along; maybe they’ll learn something, too.”

10. Ask your digital assistants: • Siri, Google and Alexa can be helpful resources to find more information about all sorts of things.

FIGHTING CRIME Sgt. Lee Darnell is a public relations and information officer for the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office and the coordinator, webmaster and social media producer for Pitt-Greenville Crime Stoppers. He also is a Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) officer.

Here is his advice for fighting crime: 1. Contact Crime Stoppers if you have information about a crime, criminal or a wanted person. They have a phone line (252-758-7777), a Facebook page (facebook.com/pittgreenvillecrimestoppers) and mobile app for reporting. It offers cash rewards for tips that lead to an arrest. Tips can be made anonymously.

2. Organize with your neighbors: • Local law enforcement can help put together a neighborhood watch.

Networks like private Facebook groups and Nextdoor are also good resources.

3. Stay informed through local law enforcement departments and Crime Stoppers’ social media pages.

4. See something, say something: • “Anything or anybody that legitimately seems suspicious should be reported. One such call could prevent many crimes and solve many more.”

5. Invest in a home doorbell or security system: • These are available in a variety of price ranges. They can help identify suspects of crimes and prevent new ones.

Spring 2020

6. Keep your cars locked at all times: • Even when you’re at home, 90 percent of vehicles broken into were left unlocked.

7. Don’t leave valuables in plain sight in locked vehicles: • This includes firearms and other weapons.

8. Get involved with Campus Crime Stoppers: • The Pitt-Greenville Crime Stoppers has a separate program for county schools that offers rewards for helping keep campuses safe.

9. Remember everyone has a part to play in community safety: • Regular citizens have helped solve and prevent numerous crimes over the years. Everyone has a responsibility to uphold.

10. Support your local CrimeStoppers: • The organization is a nonprofit that operates and offers rewards entirely from community donations. If you’d like to help, consider donating or volunteering. Contact me at 902-2724 and lee. darnell@pittcountync.gov.

SHOPPING LOCAL Kate Teel is president and CEO of the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce. The chamber serves to develop and support businesses in Pitt County. It has more than 900 members who help strengthen the county’s economy and improve the lives of its citizens. Here are some ideas from Teel about why and how to keep your dollars local: 1. Try not to default to online shopping: • Consider local stores who could use that business much more.

It’s about trying to shift your mindset back to local first.

2. Use resources to find local businesses in various categories: Greenville: Life In The East

• The Greenville Chamber of Commerce has a list of businesses on its website (www.greenvillenc.org) that can help people.

3. Become familiar with the wide variety of small businesses available to Greenville residents: • “We are fortunate to live in a city with great diversity in small businesses, big box stores, talented entrepreneurs and growing start-ups.”

You may find something closer to your needs at a local place with different services or inventory. It can’t hurt to look.

4. For local business owners: • Take advantage of social media. Use networks like Facebook or Instagram to promote products, showcase specials and encourage followers to share their experiences.

5. Tell others about your experiences with small businesses: • “They [small businesses] employ our citizens, support local community groups, nonprofits, etc. They pay taxes back to the local community, generating an economic impact far larger than any online shopping would in any given community” Spreading the word can make a world of difference for them and the community.

6. Community members can take advantage of local deals on social media: The Chamber of Commerce promotes different deals and promotions from member businesses on its social media pages every week.

7. Try to substitute a big name business for a local one: • “No matter what it is you’re looking for, most likely Greenville/Pitt County stores have it, or something similar. Our local economy depends on our community’s support to survive and grow. In order for us to continue to grow, we have to continue to support local.”

8. Consider the community impact of your buying decisions: • While some online alternatives may be cheaper, they don’t usually employ local citizens, sponsor community orga-

11

nizations or sports leagues or give back to the community in a meaningful way.

9. Plan your day or week with time to stop in and shop at local businesses: • The convenience of big box stores may be a result of thinking you don’t have time to look around a small business.

By allowing yourself time, you give local businesses a chance to show you what they offer 10: Call ahead to ask if local places have what you’re looking for: • “We are fortunate to live in a city with great diversity in small businesses, big box stores, talented entrepreneurs and growing start-ups”

RECYCLE AND REUSE Jacqueline G. Ponder is founder and president of Unnatural Resources. She also writes and teaches for the organization in its community activities to promote recycling and reusing discarded items.

Here is her advice on keeping Greenville green: 1. Try to get some use out of your discarded items: • You never know, it may become a new business opportunity.

2. Pick up one more piece of trash than you throw away every day: • “If everyone (6 billion-plus people) picked up one more piece of trash than they threw down each day, the world would be clean soon.”

3. Keep some reusable bags on hand or in your vehicle: • Limiting your use of plastic bags can help keep them out of wildlife habitats.

4. Start a compost pile: • This can add nutrients back into your soil and help plants grow better.

5. Set aside a container for recycling alongside your trash: • Putting both of them in the same place makes it easier add recycling into your routine.

6. Remember that most trash can be re-purposed: • 80 percent of trash discarded could have been reused, recycled or composted.

7. Consider where products will be discarded when buying them: • More often than not, products can be reused, composted or recycled. Take this into consideration before you even bring it into your home and life.

8. Bring your own cup when possible: • When out shopping, offer your own container to minimize single use cups. Also consider that Solo cups are essentially dishwasher safe.

9. Consider how your trash will be handled before dumping: • Pitt county doesn’t have its own landfill. That trash has to

12

be sent elsewhere. All the more reason to consider recycling or composting.

10. If dumping numbers continue to increase, landfills may be built closer than you’d like.

• The seven municipal landfills for all of Eastern Carolina could be filled in a few years. This could mean a new one closer to home; no one wants to live next door to a dump.

BRUSH YOUR TEETH Dr. Wanda Wright is an assistant professor and division director of dental public health at the ECU School of Dental Medicine. She said practicing good dental hygiene has contributes to overall health. It helps prevent dental emergencies. “Prevention will save you a lot more money than just going to a dentist when you have a problem,” she said. Here is her advice for keeping teeth and gums healthy and happy: 1. Brush your teeth daily: • “One of the main things everyone needs to do is to brush twice a day for two minutes,” Wright said.

Two minutes is not an arbitrary number. It’s the average time it takes to brush each of the four quadrants of the mouth. The mouth is broken down into four different quadrants, which are essentially the left and right corners of the upper and lower mouth.

Wright said spending adequate time brushing each quadrant is vital. She also recommends that people brush their tongue to kill plaque and help eliminate bad breath.

2. Help your children brush: • Wright noted that parents should also help their children with brushing as many children cannot properly do so.

She recommends assisting children with brushing their teeth until they’re about 8 years old.

“Children don’t have the manual dexterity to brush properly until they are about eight,” she said.

3. Replace your toothbrush: • Wright said that toothbrushes over time become less effective in cleaning teeth as the bristles break down and become frayed. Wright also recommends replacing tooth brushes every three or four months depending on what condition the bristles are in.

Another thing to look for, according Dr. Karyn Kahn of the Cleveland Clinic, is discoloration and matting of the bristles, an obvious sign that it’s time to toss the brush and buy a new one.

4. Use a soft bristle toothbrush: • Medium bristles are rougher on your gums and can cause gum damage while the hard bristles can cause recession and cause gum damage and damage the enamel. For patients who have sensitive teeth, Wright suggests using extra soft bristles.

5. Floss regularly:

Greenville: Life In The East

Spring 2020

• While this can be a difficult task, Wright said flossing is something everyone should be doing every day.

To make flossing a bit easier, she recommends buying prethreaded floss devices.

“Flossing is really important because a toothbrush can’t get in between the teeth to clean adequately,” Wright said.

6. Limit sweetened drinks and foods: • Wright said that consuming too many sweets or drinking too many sugary sodas and teas often results in cavities.

7. See a dentist on a regular basis: While the frequency of visits needed will vary person to person, at a minimum, Wright suggests people visit a dentist at least once or twice per year.

• The School of Dental Medicine plays a pivotal role in providing comprehensive care for patients across eastern North Carolina including those with limited means.

“The price of care is different depending on who is treating you. The price is going to be lowest if you’re being treated by a student. A little higher if you’re being treated by a resident.”

Students undergo extensive training before they are allowed to use their skills in a clinical setting. They are supervised closely.

• “They do a lot of skills assessments before practicing. When they are in the clinic, they are closely supervised by a faculty member. A faculty member has to approve whatever work is to

be done and supervise the student throughout the procedure,” Wright said.

8. Use fluoride toothpaste and drink water containing fluoride: • Wright said fluoride is a key ingredient that prevents cavities and enhances overall oral health.

• According to the American Dental Association, water fluoridation is a community health measure that is recognized widely for its role in preventing tooth decay. In areas where natural fluoride occurs in water below the optimal level, many communities add small amounts of fluoride to the water supply to make certain that residents receive the benefits of fluoride.

When it comes to bottled water, the ADA website says that fluoride levels vary with some water having being fluoride free.

9. Use mouthwash recommended by your dentist: • “Mouthwash does aid in helping keep the mouth clean, and it can help reduce plaque in the mouth. There is mouth rinse that contains fluoride that can help prevent cavities.

Mouthwash is important as part of daily oral hygiene.”

10. Avoid use of tobacco products: • “If you’re using tobacco, stop,” Wright said. Tobacco use causes a host of dental problems from gum recession and infection to tooth decay and plaque buildup. It can also cause cancer and loss of the jaw bone among other things.

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Amir Taha talks about his experience at the ECU School of Dental Medicine.

SMILE FOR

2020 Dental School Impacts Communities, Changes Lives

F

or many who live in rural areas of North Carolina, receiving dental care is challenging either because of a lack of dentists or the inability to pay for services and procedures that can cost thousands of dollars.

To help combat both theses issue, East Carolina University started the School of Dental Medicine in 2011 and began training dentists who have returned to their communities and have changed the lives of many who otherwise would suffer the consequences of neglecting treatment.

As the new year begins, officials at the school wanted to remind the public of the many ways it can help them pursue better dental health. It

14

Morgan Murray

By Tyler Stocks

offers a low cost on-campus clinic as well as eight community service learning centers spread across the state and has treated nearly 70,000 patients from North Carolina’s 100 counties, according to the school.

The state has funded each of the service learning centers in Brunswick, Davidson and Robeson counties as well as Ahoskie, Elizabeth City, Lillington, Spruce Pine and Sylva.

The Greenville clinic and each of the centers is staffed by full-time and part-time faculty, residents (dentists pursuing advanced training), fourth-year students, dental hygienists, dental assistants and business staff. They provide hands-on experience for advanced students and residents, while also

Greenville: Life In The East

Spring 2020

Madison Godwin is a second-year dental student at the ECU School of Dental Medicine and plans to practice dentistry in her native Whiteville, North Carolina.

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“I think it’s more rewarding because there’s people still there that I went to high school with and that my grandparents know and my mom knows.” - Madison Godwin Student Madison Godwin works on a pair of dentures in the sim lab at the ECU School of Dental Medicine.

Branden Sumner studies teeth on his practice patient at the ECU Dental School of Medicine.

providing access to oral health care for more North Carolinians. Services include: • Comprehensive general dentistry • Children’s dentistry • Oral surgery – extractions • Root canals • Sealants and tooth colored fillings • Crowns and bridges • Dentures and partial dentures • Implant services • Periodontal services and cleanings • Cosmetic tooth whitening • Digital radiography • 3-D/Cone beam imaging In addition to providing many different services, the on-campus clinics and community service learning centers also offer payment plans and other financial assistance to help patients cover the cost of treatment, according to the school.

Additionally, more than 420 patients have been served through the school’s patient care funds, which fully or partially cover the cost of dental procedures for patients who me certain financial criteria.

The funds are supported by gifts and

18

donations from supporters and friends of the school.

Dr. Greg Chadwick, dean of the ECU School of Dental Medicine, said that many of North Carolina’s 100 counties lack access to dental care.

“As we look in the counties in North Carolina, 25 percent of those counties have less than two dentists per 10,000 people,” Chadwick said.

In Pitt County, the average number of dentists is 4.7 to 4.8 dentists per 10,000 and Chadwick said that number is rising as the school graduates more students.

Chadwick said that in addition to graduating more dentists to ensure rural areas have access to dentists, the school is focused on providing dental care to all who need it no matter what their situation is.

“As we look at our mission of accomplishing improving oral health of the people of North Carolina, we do it by graduating the next generation of dentists, but we’re also doing it by providing care out in those areas.”

One of those students is Madison Godwin, a second-year dental student Greenville: Life In The East

who plans to work in her hometown of Whiteville after graduation.

“I plan to go home to Whiteville because it is a rural community,” Godwin said.

“There are only three dentists in Whiteville right now, so there definitely is a need for more of us back in our hometown.”

She added that being able to come back home and help others in her community is special.

“I think it’s more rewarding because there’s people still there that I went to high school with and that my grandparents know and my mom knows.”

In addition to serving in their hometowns, students at ECU’s School of Dental Medicine love helping others and seeing the smiles on their faces.

Third-year dental student Amir Taha of Greenville said he loves helping others, and while working at the dental school he feels part of something greater than himself.

“I knew I wanted to be some kind of physician to help people,” Taha said. “Our patients here are very happy to be here.

As a student that’s learning, it’s kind of nice because it’s like we’re a big team and Spring 2020

The sim lab at the ECU School of Dental Medicine provides training for students as they learn how to perform procedures.

we’re working together to try and help them.”

Another third-year dental student, Robert Pinner, who graduated with a master’s of business administration from ECU, said that he decided to become a dentist and use his business background to help address the economic challenges associated with dentistry and the dentist shortage in our state.

“I feel like I’m uniquely positioned to be part of the solution to help figure out this problem of under-served rural areas in our state. The mission of East Carolina resonated with me. We can help deliver care to some under-served areas in our state and I think that’s a problem that hasn’t been solved,” Pinner said.

Faculty member Dr. Maggie Pafford, who was part of the dental school’s inaugural class, said that she’s excited to see students grow and affect change in their communities.

“I think the mission (of the dental school) is quite special and really important is the driving force to why we’re all here,” Pafford said. “The idea that I’m potentially doing something that’s going to change the way dentistry is viewed and educated 30 to 50 years from now is really why I am here,” Pafford said.

She added, “There’s really no other program in the state that’s doing what we’re doing. I think it’s amazing and I’m very humble to be a part of it.”

More information about the ECU School of Dental Medicine can be found by visiting ecu.edu/cs-dhs/dental/index.cfm.

Spring 2020

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WORKING

IT OUT FITNESS BUFFS TRY TO GET IN SHAPE, AND STAY THERE

By Elizabeth Johnson

F

itness centers see a boost in membership every January, Greenville fitness buffs say.

The trick is to keep it going past February.

Katie Barkman, the 31-year-old manager of Orangetheory Fitness Studio, said more people join a gym in January than any time of the year.

Orangetheory has seen a 50 percent increase in new members from the first week of December to the first week of January, she said.

The fitness center in La Promenade shopping center on Greenville Boulevard offers group fitness classes and focuses on heart rate-based training.

Classes are offered from 5 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., Barkman said.

Morgan Murray

The facility also uses a body composition scanner so members can see how their body changes even if they don’t see a change on the weight scale, Barkman said.

Orangetheory offers challenges throughout the year to keep members on track, she said.

Barkman said she and her staff change up routines at times when members are likely to stop working out, which holds them accountable and prevents a drop of membership at any point, Barkman said.

“So throughout the year we have different challenges, at least quarterly, but almost monthly, we have something that is appeasing our members, that is helping them to compete with themselves and encourage each other and help us all hold each other accountable,” Barkman said.

Brett Roddy, the 31-year-old recreation supervisor for Greenville Aquatics and Fitness Center, said New Year’s resolutions account for a significant increase in the number of people who sign up to the gym every year.

The city-run center on Staton Road in north Greenville is a full-service facility, with strength and cardio equipment, group fitness classes, indoor basketball court and an indoor pool, Roddy said. About 50 members have joined since the beginning of the year, he said.

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Orange Theory Fitness studio manager, Katie Barkman

America Vega lifts weights at the Greenville Aquatics and Fitness Center

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Greenville: Life In The East

Roddy said staff works to keep members by being friendly, providing a family environment and offering motivating challenges. The city’s older population enjoys coming to the gym for its social aspects, and the younger population usually comes to the gym to lose weight, he said.

Many who join fitness centers in January stop showing up as frequently as early as February, Roddy said. He recommends going for two to three days a week for six weeks in order to establish a good routine.

“February is usually when a lot of people that sign up in January ... start to phase out,” he said. That’s why its a good idea if possible to start earlier than January.

Spring 2020

“There’s a person this year, he started in December and he said he wanted to get a better routine going before all the new people came in, so it’s just good to get something going for six weeks,” Roddy said.

Greenville resident Gretta Smith, a 48-year-old preschool director, said she started going to Orangetheory in mid-November.

She said her New Year’s fitness goal was to put her health first, which she called a lifestyle change. She said Orangetheory holds her accountable for her fitness goals by having classes at regular times which she plans her day around.

“Definitely because I’m nearing 50, I just want to be healthier to be around for my kids long-term, but also if weight loss is in there that’s great. ... Typically what I’ve always done is try to put weight loss first and then my health follows, but now I’m putting my health first and I think the weight loss will follow,” Smith said.

Linda Glover, a 53-year-old retiree from Winterville, said she does not do New Year’s resolutions because they are easy to break. She prefers to make life decisions.

Glover said she has been going to Greenville Aquatics and Fitness Center for one year in order to make exercise part of her lifestyle and to live a longer life where she can see her grandchildren.

“For me, myself, I do not do New Year’s resolutions. I just do better. So my doing better is I know that over the holidays I did gain 5 pounds and I have a future doctor’s appointment in February, so my

The recreation supervisor of Greenville Aquatics and Fitness Center, Brett Roddy

goal is to lose those 5 pounds and continue to work at my healthy weight or what have you, to lower my BMI,” Glover said.

Patricia Brown, a 66-year-old retired Greenville resident, said she joined Greenville Aquatics and Fitness Center at the beginning of January. She said her fitness goals for the New Year were to become a healthier version of herself.

Brown said she has done exercise classes in the past and is trying to add other workouts on top of the class in order to be stronger and lose a few pounds.

“Well, to become a healthier me in 2020, and my goals are to learn how to

become good on this equipment, this treadmill, etc.,” Brown said.

Rob Evans, a 77-year-old retired Greenville resident, said he has been coming to Greenville Aquatics and Fitness since 2008. He said he has had knee injuries, which motivate him to go to the gym along with his belief in the importance of staying active.

“I think the resolution I’ve had since 2008, since I had my knee problems, was to make sure I come here to the gym as often as I can. I usually come here five days a week,” Evans said.

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DASHing to better

A YEAR OF HEALTHY EATING CAN WORK WONDERS

By Kathy Kolasa

I

Kathy Kolasa, a registered dietitian nutritionist and longtime columnist for The Daily Reflector, has long been an advocate for the DASH diet, so Greenville Magazine asked her how a person would look and feel if he followed the DASH diet faithfully for a whole year.

Kolasa, an affiliate professor in the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, offered some great information in response: Spring 2020

can tell you that I have personally followed DASH most days of the year ever since it was introduced almost 23 years ago. DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables; grains; some fish, lean meat and poultry; nuts and seeds; and low-fat dairy. I was impressed because the people in the original study were fed all their meals and snacks. That’s known as a “feeding trial” and makes it possible to see if eating a specific diet can affect, in this case, blood pressure and other risks for heart disease and stroke.

By the way, the PREMIER trial which also used the DASH diet, followed a few years later and showed a person could achieve similar results in the real world when they provided their own food and beverages.

The benefits of DASH are best when you follow it strictly, but it’s not all or none. There are benefits from following it most days of the year. I have a personal family history of hypertension and heart disease, and in 1999 was looking for a way to manage my risks without taking medicine. Since that initial trial in the 1990s there have been many more studies showing that following the DASH eating plan can lower blood pressure, lower and help maintain weight, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower risks for some cancers, improve insulin resistance and depressive

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symptoms, and slow cognitive decline.

I usually am suspicious of diets that claim to do so many good things — but there are studies to demonstrate these benefits from DASH. I like the information (and links to other resources) the National Institutes of Health provides at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ health-topics/dash-eatingplan.

DASH doesn’t eliminate any foods or food groups, so you are likely to get all the nutrients you need without supplements and won’t miss some of your favorite foods. If you need about 2,000 calories a day to fuel yourself without gaining or losing weight, here is what you will eat each day: • Grains: 6-8 servings • Meat, poultry and fish: less than 6 ounces • Fruit: 4-5 servings • Low-fat or fat-free dairy products: 2-3 servings • Fats and oils: 2-3 servings (count what you use in cooking) • Sodium: less than 2,300 milligrams • And, you will eat weekly: 4-5 servings of nuts and fewer than five servings of dessert.

• If you don’t know how many calories you need, use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) calculator at https://www.niddk. nih.gov/bwp. Then adjust the number of servings up or down.

What can you expect in a year?

Everyone is different so it’s tricky to give you a firm answer, but here are some of my guesstimates.

• Lower systolic (top number) blood pressure. You won’t have to wait a year to see if this works for you. Results happen in less than three weeks. You will lower your blood pressure by up to 14 mmHg. But just like medicine, you must follow the diet at least most days of the week to maintain that lower BP. For years I could maintain my blood pressure with DASH and physical activity alone. But as I aged, I needed to add a

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Greek Mediterranean Diet Dietary Approaches to STOP Hypertension teeny dose medication. My contemporaries with high blood pressure who don’t follow DASH are taking 2- 3 medications. And if you are African American, the results are even stronger. If you take less medicine, that means you are also dealing with fewer side effects. There is a version of DASH that gives even lower blood pressure results.

The participants in the OmniHeart study reduced the amount of carbohydrates they consumed by 10 percent by replacing the carbs with protein or unsaturated fat. If you don’t have high blood pressure, following DASH is recommended as one way for adults and children to eat healthy in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (https://health.gov/ dietaryguidelines/2015/).

• Lower weight and smaller waist. I wasn’t overweight but I dropped 5 percent of my body weight when I started the DASH way. I have maintained that weight since with only small fluctuations when travelling and partying. Many of my patients have told me the best part of following DASH is they don’t get hungry or feel deprived because there is so much food to eat. There are other eating plans that will cut weight more quickly, but they are more difficult to follow for a long time. If you aren’t overweight, following this Greenville: Life In The East

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MIND DIET

At Least 3 Servings Of Whole Grains Each Day

At Least One Dark Green Salad And One Other Vegetable Each Day Web Photos

Berries At Least Twice A Week

At Least A One-Once Serving Of Nuts Each Day

Poultry At Least Twice A Week Fish At Least Once A Week At Most One Tablespoon A Day Of Margarine.

Use Olive Oil Instead

Beans Or Legumes At Least Every Other Day

Cheese, fried food and fast food no more than once a week A 5-ounce glass of red wine or purple grape juice each day

Taste Exploring: Have you tasted every fruit, vegetable and grain we now can buy locally? If you follow DASH, you might find yourself having a wider range of favorite and interesting foods to choose from by the end of the year. And if you would rather eat out (though its easier to maintain your weight eating at home), you would select dishes that have fruits, vegetables and grains you may not know.

Try the appetizer or small plate size, just in case the new dish doesn’t fit your tastes.

But have fun with new foods.

More Culinary Skills And Satisfaction In Meal Preparation: If you taste explore, you are certainly likely to have learned new food preparation skills and new seasoning techniques. Have you ever prepared a fresh avocado or sliced a pineapple?

They now come with instructions on how to store, ripen and prepare. YouTube and websites have lots of videos of food preparation. You also may learn to prepare foods with the ingredients in front of you rather than from recipes. Instead of waiting on slow service at a restaurant you can be actively creating. My N.C. State colleague, Carolyn Dunn, suggests these five essential rules of cooking.

Pastries & sweets less than 5 times a week

plan will help you avoid gaining excess weight.

• Lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. The study results vary, but on average the experts report a drop of about 14 percent in your bad cholesterol number. If you need a bigger drop in LDL then you will need to take medicine. But if you do DASH, your dosage of medicine might be lower, giving you some cost savings and reducing side effects.

• Reduces risks for some cancers, especially colorectal cancer if you do DASH and limit red and processed meats. One study showed men had a 33 percent reduction in risk. The studies do not prove cause and benefit — more long-term studies are needed.

• Improves insulin resistance, possibly slows cognitive decline and improves symptoms of depression. These are new and possible benefits of following the DASH eating plan. There is some evidence that following DASH might be helpful, but more study is needed to know for sure. As I age, I like the MIND diet — a combination of DASH and the Mediterranean diet — that has shown impressive slowing of loss of memory in persons who follow it. MIND has more emphasis on the types of vegetables, fruits and nuts; encourages eating legumes, and mostly using olive oil for cooking. It includes fish once a week (you don’t need more), and if you drink, make it wine.

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1. Have a good knife and cutting board and learn to use your knives.

2. Ready your space and your ingredients. Ready all your ingredients.

Pull them out of the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer. Chop or prep as needed.

3. Cook a lot. It doesn’t mean cooking all the time, it means when you do cook make plenty for planned-overs — like leftovers but intentional.

4. Cook with ingredients, not only recipes.

5. Find YOUR food. Find 5-10 recipes you like, your family likes, and you enjoy making. Make them all the time.

Read her whole blog and get lots of other tips at esmmweighless.com.

Some think that DASH is a bit pricey to follow. Those folks mistakenly think

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you have to eat only fresh fruits and vegetables. In reality, canned, frozen and dried foods work too, especially if they don’t have added salt or fatty sauces. I have found everything I need shopping at local Piggly Wiggly and Food Lion stores.

It’s not a very interesting name — DASH — but the experts who helped US News and World Report rank diets in 2019, ranked it the No. 2 Best Diet Overall for Healthy Eating and Diabetes; No. 3 Best Heart Healthy Diet; No. Easiest

Diet to Follow; No. 12 Best Weight Loss Diets; and No. 26 Best Fast Weight Loss Diets (https://health.usnews.com/bestdiet/dash-diet).

Most people find it easiest to make only one lifestyle change at a time.

However, you may want to consider meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (https://health.gov/ paguidelines/second-edition/pdf/ Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_ edition.pdf); limit alcohol intake if you drink; mange your stress; if you use

tobacco products, quit; and get nine to 11 hours of sleep a night. Read the new report about the core behaviors to prevent obesity at www.eatsmartmovenc.com.

Click on CORE BEHAVIORS. Break goals into smaller, simpler steps. Celebrate success. If you get off track, just restart.

You may benefit from a session or two with a registered dietitian nutritionist. We have excellent ones at the Brody School of Medicine, the Vidant Wellness Centers, and the Pitt County Health Center. Follow DASH is do-able. Good luck.

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